


Blood Love

by Moonalight



Series: London Vampire [3]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, Detective Koushien, Smut, Vampire!Saguru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:00:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26113027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonalight/pseuds/Moonalight
Summary: After a reveal at the hands of Spider, Kuroba now knows that Saguru is a vampire. Saguru is also now aware of his own true feelings toward the thief. How will they continue on, working this out? And how will new faces change things?
Relationships: Hakuba Saguru/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Series: London Vampire [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885228
Comments: 23
Kudos: 53





	1. Lust Fall

******  
Saguru wasn’t sure what to do. All he was aware of was the pain. 

Curled up there, amongst glass shards and blood, with the one he loved looking at him like he was a monster. He didn’t want to get up. He didn’t want to look. Even as the sound of police running back to the church reached his ears, he couldn’t bring himself to stop crying and stand. 

The decision was stolen from him though.

Fabric suddenly enveloped him, but the police hadn’t reached the church yet. He was wrapped in something soft and before he could open his teary eyes, he was being lifted into the air. A startled gasp, watery and pained, left his throat but no words were said.

And then they were running. The person holding him jumped and leapt, escaping the church before the police could return.

He could do nothing but remain curled up in the arms, sobbing as he grieved. Over the course of a couple minutes, everything had been ruined. Kuroba now knew he was a vampire. Just after he had been forced to face how he truly felt about the brunette too. 

It was his loss.  
******  
Saguru was being set down gently. The sounds of the police had long faded from his awareness, his carrier taking him far from the church. He found himself sitting on the ground, still completely wrapped in that soft fabric. 

KID’s white cape. He was wrapped in Kuroba’s cape. That didn’t make sense because he-because Kuroba thought he was a-

“Hakuba?” He wanted to break again when he heard the magician’s voice calling his name. Because that meant that he hadn’t left him. Unless he had brought him out into the woods to kill him after discovering he was a monster...

The idea made him sob harder, struggling to catch his breath. His whole body trembled, eyes burning from tears. 

Then the cape was slowly being unwrapped around his head. The ends were pulled down, still wrapped around his shoulders and body but leaving his face free to the cool night air.

“Oh, Hakuba...” KID was suddenly eye level with him, kneeling on the ground to reach him. His gloved hands wiped gently at his cheeks, soaking up the tears falling like rivers over smoke skin.

Still Saguru could feel his vampirism free, fangs pressing into his lips with every sob. The fact that Kuroba was seeing them, seeing him like this...

He tried to pull away from the gentle touch. He hated the glint of moonlight off the monocle, and the way his face was shadowed by the hat. It was too foreign and he just wanted to be safe. 

“Hakuba?” Why did he keep saying his name?

He looked up, a whine leaving his throat unbidden. The sound made Kuroba freeze up, indigo eyes growing wide. Saguru shuddered at that startled look, his free vampirism reacting to the prey behavior.

For the first time that night he opened his mouth and scented. 

Flash fire, bird feathers, flowers, and chocolate. It flooded over him, dulled by the necklace but not enough. 

Saguru let his instincts go, too tired to care anymore as he sprang forward. The cape fell from him as he pressed on Kuroba’s shoulders. The sudden weight surprised the magician, pushing him down until he hit the ground with thud. That awful top hat rolled away from them revealing his face. 

The familiarity helped, but his hair was still the wrong color. Since that couldn’t be helped Saguru went for the next thing. The monocle was easy to pull away, leaving an unmistakable Kuroba lying under him.

“Kuroba,” he gasped, the scent completely fogging his mind and making him shudder. His eyes slid shut, just getting lost in the pleasure for a second. His body moved without permission, pressing up against Kuroba’s bent knee while seeking contact. 

His throat convulsed as he felt himself growing harder at the touch. Another whine left him, eyes opening again to focus on his thief.

But he froze.

Kuroba was staring up at him in shock. There was a blush there too, faint arousal and desire invading his scent, but overwhelmingly there was surprise, fear, and horror. 

The negative emotions sent him reeling, pulling back from the pinned thief and practically throwing himself away. The boy was scrambling just as fast though. His gloved hand outstretched to Saguru, more fear flooding his scent.

“Wait, Hakuba!”

The words just stopped him from fleeing. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. There was too much and at the same time not enough. He shifted at the uncomfortable tightness of his pants, face burning as he tried to focus past the heat and bloodlust. 

“I-” Kuroba didn’t seem to know what he was going to say. His mouth opened and shut uselessly, grasping for something. Nothing came though and Saguru began to inch back. 

That seemed to set something off, his jaw clenching tight and suddenly the unmasked thief was rushing him. Soft fabric enclosed around his wrists, hands holding him in place as Kuroba moved his face in close. 

“I-look I-,” he bit his lip, Saguru’s eyes following the movement. His whole body was on fire with heat and lust and then this tease was getting up close and personal?

He didn’t think as he plunged forward to close the distance between them. Despite the instinctual nature of the movement, Saguru was careful not to slice into the soft lips with his fangs. The faint taste of chocolate encircled him, his scent driving him insane. 

But this was a part he knew how to control. His vampirism changed focus, reacting to the promise of pleasure and making the prey feel good. Kuroba gasped against his lips but he was quick to swallow the sound. When the lips opened for him, he let his tongue slip in, falling into a dance that the thief was clearly inexperienced with.

He took control of the movement, letting Kuroba keep hold on his wrists as he crawled forward into his lap. He let his hips shift, rubbing pleasurably up against his leg and feeling the arousal and desire in his scent grow. 

Saguru moaned against his lips, pressing closer still until they were flush against each other. He moved faster, pressing harder into Kuroba’s leg as he was driven closer to the edge. The magician began working with him, moving back to create more friction and make it feel even better.

He gasped, eyes falling shut again as he spoke around his fangs, “Kuroba, fuck, I’m gonna-!”

He was so close, and that meant it was time to feed. The height of sex with a vampire, biting when they reached their climax. His mouth opened wide against Kuroba’s, pulling back and leaving the boy gasping. 

Saguru moved down, bringing his lips to that neck. He could feel the pulse pounding against his cheek, heart rabbiting from pleasure and fear. 

Just as he reached his limit, just as he was about to bite, Kuroba was speaking and stopping him.

“Hakuba,” he choked, burrowing his own head into Saguru’s neck, words against his ear, “I love you.”

Saguru didn’t bite as he came. His voice echoed through the trees around him, loud as he released. His body shuddered, arching into Kuroba’s perfectly as he came down. 

The scent was lazier now, the necklace holding back a second round. He was too emotionally and physically spent to try to go again. Though, there was still a part that wanted to bite, to taste and see how amazing Kuroba’s scent was.

It was easy to ignore when his mind was stuck on what he had said. 

Kuroba loved him?


	2. Confessions in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love? Is that what romantic love smells like?

******  
Saguru didn’t move from Kuroba’s lap for a while. Both of them just stayed sitting there, panting as they came down from what had just happened. He tried to ignore the uncomfortable wetness in his pants, keeping his face pressed against his neck just a little longer.

The rapid pounding of Kuroba’s heart was settling down, becoming slower as they both found themselves again.

Kuroba loved him?

The confession had been in the middle of all that, the one thing that held him back from biting. It had been too much of a shock, if a good one. But he didn’t understand. 

Kuroba had backed away from him. He had looked so...so...

Shocked.

Of course he was shocked, he’d just seen evidence that more supernaturals beyond witches exist. And Saguru was apparently one of them. Maybe he had just read too much into it. After everything that had happened he hadn’t been in the best place to be calm and think it over.

“Hakuba?” He shifted again as he heard his name against his neck. Unlike Spider, Kuroba had kept his distance when it came to that. Whether he had realized his reaction to having teeth on his neck or not, he had never bitten down or even kissed it when they climaxed.

“Kuroba,” he whispered, his voice feeling slightly raw after everything that had happened. There was already a faint headache from all the sobbing he had done, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel ashamed yet. It had been too cathartic. 

“Are you...okay?” He sounded concerned, his scent still hung around them like a soft cloud. Saguru could smell the worry and fear there. Overwhelmingly though, there was this soft warmth. It was what he usually smelled from his Baaya, but hotter. 

Love? Is that what romantic love smells like?

He had smelled it on other people before, but it had never been directed towards him. It was strange.

He took a deep breath, pulling back his senses bit by bit. The scent wasn’t affecting him for the moment after what they’d done, but he didn’t want any distractions. The fangs pushing at his lips shrunk away and his vampirism obediently went back to rest.

“Kuroba, did you mean it?” It wasn’t what he had meant to ask, but it was still the biggest thing on his mind now. He needed to know. Was it just something said in the midst of lust, or was it true? His own emotions aside and the emotions he could smell, he wanted to hear it.

The arms holding him close moved, adjusting to reach his shoulder and tug him back. He let himself be pulled, moving back from his neck and finding himself face to face with Kuroba. 

For a second indigo was looking over his face, but the traces of vampirism were already gone. Then he was giving Saguru the most heartfelt smile he had ever seen on the boy. It took his breath away as he stared, feeling the hands shift again.

He didn’t realize what he had done until Kuroba was resting his hand over his cheek. His bare hand. The gloves were now gone, and he was holding Saguru so gently. 

He didn’t need a vocal answer, that was enough, but he got one anyway.

“Yes,” his voice was quiet but steadfast, sure, fully open to him, “I meant it. I love you, Saguru.”

His breath was lost at his first name. Saguru thought he could feel more tears beginning to build as he leaned into the warm palm, looking at him through lidded eyes. When the first tear fell, it was met by the soft brush of a thumb. The second the same, the third, and onward.

“Why?” His question was broken and watery, the world around them forgotten as everything was captured by the magician.

“You...really think you need to ask that, don’t you?” There was a sadness there now, but it didn’t overcome the love, “I’ll change that.”

Saguru didn’t know what he was talking about, he was too caught up in the feeling of skin brushing over his cheek. It was so sweet, so gentle.

“I love you for so many reasons,” Kuroba continued, “though I only realized it a little over a week ago.”

A week ago? What had happened a week ago? 

‘The heist,’ his brain supplied. After that, Kuroba had been acting strange. Was this why? Because he realized he loved Saguru?

“You probably don’t even realize it,” he moved on in that soft tone, never once looking away from his face, “but you are amazing. You are kind, caring, loyal, cute, smart, adorable in so many ways-”

He cut himself off with a breathy laugh, “I could go on forever. The point is, I love you. Really, I do. I know that it’s crazy to say so after only knowing each other a couple months, but I’m sure of it.”

Crazy was accurate for the brunette. But this time, Saguru was ready to jump with him.

“Kuro-Kaito,” the way his own breath hitched when he switched to using his first name was nice. Saguru waited, letting the last of the tears fall so his vision wasn't blurry. He reached, cupping his own hand over Kaito’s softly, holding it close, “I love you too.”

His whole face lit up and it almost seemed like he would be the one to cry now. In response to his confession, Kaito laughed, pressing forward until their foreheads met. So close, Saguru could feel his breath, see the silent question in his eyes. 

This time he let Kaito make the first move, closing the distance slower to let their lips meet. It was so different from their first kiss. That one had been driven by instincts and lust, frantic and heated, just searching for the pleasure in the action.

This one was gentle. It was soft and loving, and the insanely gentle way Kaito was holding him made him want to cry again. 

“Kaito,” he gasped quietly around those lips, but his voice was swallowed up as he pressed on the back of his head, fingers tangling into his curls to pull him closer. Saguru let him for just a moment longer, getting lost in the fact that Kaito was kissing him.

Kaito was kissing him!

Carefully, he moved his hands up to the other teens chest, pushing lightly. He seemed to get the message, releasing Saguru and pulling back but still holding him close. 

As much as he didn’t want to ruin this moment, they couldn’t ignore it. It was the source of all these issues and the reason tonight had turned out as it did. They had to talk about it.

“Kaito,” his voice became shakier and he suddenly couldn’t look him in the face, eyes ducking so he wouldn’t see the disappointment, “we need to talk first. I-there are things that you-”

“Okay,” he was so sweet and understanding, turning his eyes back up to meet his, “I know. Not here though.”

Saguru was reminded where they were. In the middle of the words after escaping from a heist. A heist where an intruder had injured many officers and he had never been seen leaving. 

He paled, eyes widening as he looked at Kaito. He remained calm though, both hands rising to frame his face as he spoke.

“It’s okay, Saguru,” he murmured, leaning forward, lips pressing down over each of his eyelids and stilling his panic, “I’ll take care of everything. Is your estate okay?”

“Ah, yeah,” he whispered, still relishing in the contact. 

“Then that’s where we’ll go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! My children have confessed! And now it's time for a vampiric info dump in the next chapter so be ready for that. Any question you may want answered about it please comment~


	3. Tea and Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can show you...” he offered, reaching up with his hands to clasp the cross hanging over his shirt, “What makes your scent special.”

******  
Kaito had had his assistant waiting on an old service road nearby. The man didn’t question a thing as they dealt with damage control. Saguru stayed silent in the backseat as he listened to them begin to make calls. Only one caught his attention, one to his Baaya. 

His mind was mostly set on what they were going to discuss. He didn’t speak up when KID mimicked his voice, telling her to stay away from the estate tonight. She said something that seemed to confuse the thief but he didn’t bother asking. In the end, she was going to spend the night at her sister’s. Baaya also promised to tell the police force he was okay.

It was slightly awe inspiring how things were weaved together so well.

By the time the car was pulling to a stop in front of his house, everything was in place. They would be alone, the task force believed he was safe, and nothing could get in the way.

Now he just had to worry about answering Kaito’s questions.

The assistant drove off as they walked into the house. Saguru didn’t miss how sure the thief was, already knowing his way around. 

When had he been in his house?

Kaito seemed content to follow him, but he stayed close by, watching worriedly as he led the way upstairs. At one point he reached out to pull him closer, out of the way of a table he’d been about to walk into. Neither said a word about it. They both recognized how important this was going to be. 

Because it hardly seemed to matter, seeing as Kaito had already been in his house, Saguru led him straight to his bedroom. 

Watson welcomed him the moment his door opened. She flew forward, landing on the perch placed purposefully beside the entrance. Her eyes drew slowly over Kaito, judging him as he froze under her gaze. 

Saguru let her, moving further into his room as she made a decision about the thief. As he collapsed into one of the lounge chairs in the center of his room, she flew back toward him. The rim of the chair was already scratched from her claws, like so many of the possible perches in his room were. A few more made no difference when she leaned down to rub their heads together.

Kaito seemed to understand he had been given permission in some way, relaxing and following her to the center of the room. As he walked he began to remove his jacket. The white fabric was folded up alongside his cape, monocle, and tophat, and placed in a pile on the coffee table in between all the seating.

As he loosened the red tie, he also sat. In the chair to Saguru’s left, looking over the detective slowly. 

“We can do this tomorrow, Saguru,” he said softly, his words loud in the quiet room. It was still strange to hear his first name from those lips. He liked it. 

Saguru shook his head, bringing his legs onto the chair with him and curling up, “No, we need to talk about this...” 

But where to start? When one thought about the events of that night, there was a lot to talk about. First of all-

He winced as he moved, feeling that uncomfortable dampness in his underwear. His face flushed as he remembered, sighing while he moved to stand again. 

“I need to change,” he told Kaito softly, not looking at the thief, “I imagine we are about the same size, so might I lend you some clothes?” 

“Sure.” 

This was going to be a long night.  
******  
When he left the bathroom where he had changed, now dressed in a white tee and soft sleeping pants, there were two steaming cups on the coffee table. The wonderful smell of tea was warming even before he took a sip. Saguru was practically drooling as he approached the table again. 

It made Kaito chuckle, dressed in similar clothes he had lent the magician. 

When he took a sip from the hot mug, he was surprised. Black tea with milk; his favorite. 

“Just how much have you stalked me?” He asked, unable to keep the fondness from his voice as he sat back down. At least he had the decency to look chagrined at the question.

He hummed over the steaming liquid, feeling much warmer and at peace now. It was time to get started.

“I’m a vampire.” Perhaps the most obvious place to begin, but it still seemed to startle him. Kaito grew more serious, leaning forward to listen. 

“I don’t know...what exactly do you want to know?” He asked, sighing as he realized that there wasn’t much he could do without a proper direction to run in. He watched as the magician thought over it, looking over him curiously.

“How old are you?” A small smile because of course that was where he would start. It was the most commonly asked question when people found out.

“Sixteen, same as you,” he answered. Wait for it...

“And how long have you been sixteen?” There’s the immortality question. It wasn’t a surprise. Humans had mixed so many things up about their legends over the years, it was amazing they got anything right. Usually though, it was only the darkest and most horrific facts they remembered properly.

“I’m not immortal, Kaito,” the answer seemed to shock him, a frown pulling at his face as he tilted his head, “I’m not that sort of breed.”

“There are different breeds of vampires?” Ah, yes. The can of worms even Saguru didn’t understand after more than two years of living it. 

“It’s confusing, I know,” he said softly, taking another sip of his tea, “but immortality only applies to a certain strain of vampirism. That strain is not the one I have.”

“Then how did you-” He motioned in explanation, looking him up and down pointedly. The question made him wince, shifting as he tried to get more comfortable. Remembering how he was turned was never fun. Honestly, that case had almost made him quit being a detective.

“I was turned during a case,” Saguru said sharply, trying to push away the memories before they could upset him. It was usually easy. He hardly ever thought about it anymore; just moved on. But that damn pureblood had decided to push his buttons and-

He sighed deeply, closing his eyes, “I would prefer not to get into it. The main point being, just over two years ago I was bitten and turned in London. Does that satisfy your-”

He jumped, barely keeping his drink from spilling when a hand suddenly moved to rest on his leg. His eyes opened, finding indigo leaning closer, filled with concern.

“Saguru,” Kaito said softly, squeezing slightly in comfort, “you don’t have to tell me anything you’re uncomfortable with, okay? I want to know, but I can wait until you’re ready.”

He was so incredibly lucky. 

“Thank you,” his irritation began to settle, relaxing again as he drank some more, “You have more questions, I assume? Besides the obvious.” 

“Why didn’t you bite me?” And again, the magician managed to utterly stump and surprise him.

“What?” He lowered the mug, frowning as he took in the confused look on Kaito’s face. 

“When we...” He flushed, looking away in embarrassment, “When you stopped kissing me. I thought you were going to bite me, but you didn’t. Why?”

Oh, earlier in the woods. The memory made Saguru flush as well, watching his tea swirl as he spoke, “Because...you said you loved me.”

That didn’t seem to be what he was expecting, judging by the way his hand squeezed over his leg. When he looked up Kaito was wearing a terribly unsure expression. This was much harder than he thought. He had never had to explain to someone who knew nothing about the supernatural. The few times he had fielded questions, it had been for people who just wanted some clarification, not a starter’s guide. 

“When a vampire engages in intercourse,” he flushed at the horribly factual way he said it, but he didn’t know how else to put it. Kaito also seemed embarrassed, though at attention, “When they reach their climax, most often they will bite their partner. It’s a high for both involved though a vampire doesn’t need to sleep with a person to bite them. I wanted to bite you-I was going to bite you...but I couldn’t after you said that.”

“You just said-”

“I was doing that with you because my instincts were out of control,” shame wormed through him at the thought, looking away painfully, “all I wanted was your blood and body, but when you said that...”

Please don’t take it back.

“Hey, look at me,” a hand was suddenly pulling lightly at his chin, turning him to face Kaito who was now standing in front of him. He leaned over so they were eye and eye, and just like in the woods, he gently placed a kiss over each of his lids. 

When he pulled away, he still had such a loving look on his face that it made Saguru’s chest hurt.

“Whatever reason this started, you meant it, right?” A mirror of what he asked. The words were pulled from him by the soft voice, quiet and barely more of a breath of honesty.

“Of course, I love you Kaito.” 

His words seemed to calm the disquiet in both of them, Kaito releasing him to sit back down. He breathed slowly, taking another sip and letting the warm liquid wash away his doubts. 

“So,” Kaito continued, drawing his own conclusions forth, “You didn’t bite me because you didn’t want it to just be about lust. Blood or sexual in nature.”

“Yes,” he thought back to Spider, what the pureblood had said, “I wasn’t sure of my feelings for you because of that. I couldn’t be sure my affection towards you wasn’t just because of my vampiric urges.”

“And now?”

“As much as I despise that man,” he sighed, “he did prove my love for you was genuine.”

“That man?” Kaito echoed, sounding lost.

“Oh, your uninvited guest tonight was a pureblood vampire,” that only seemed to bring about more questions, “I’ll explain after we finish with your questions.” 

“There’s not too many,” he admitted, getting more comfortable, “I don’t know enough to want clarification...how about your...food source?”

He naturally became more fidgety at that question, indigo eyes drawn to Saguru’s mouth on reflex. Yet another common question. It was also the source of many moral hang ups for Saguru. Considering Kaito’s profession...

Yeah, this might be bad.

“I feed from criminals,” his words were meek, even to his own ears. There was guilt there as well, completely obvious to hear. It hardly took a second for Kaito to piece it together, raising an eyebrow in judgement.

“Were you hunting me?” He sounded...not angry or scared. Kaito almost sounded amused by the idea. The boy could never not surprise Saguru, could he?

“NO!” The very idea, after what his scent did to him!

“Hey,” Kaito raised his hands in a placating gesture, keeping his voice calm, “I’m not upset or anything. I mean, it’s not like you kill the criminals.”

Was he really so sure of such a thing? 

“How would you know?” He asked without thinking, realizing too late how incriminating that sounded. His guest just laughed at the question, shaking his head in amusement. 

“You’re not the type, Saguru,” that made him feel really good to hear, “Plus, I’m pretty sure something like that would make the news.”

Ah, sometimes he forgot that Kaito was just as smart as he was.

“No, you’re right,” he said softly, smiling at the confidence Kaito had in him, “I don’t kill. I just feed and send them on their way.” 

“You have some advanced senses too, don’t you?” Saguru looked over in surprise, earning a slightly offended look, “I’m not unobservant, tantei-san!”

“I wasn’t implying you were,” he said quickly, frowning as he thought about scenting, “and yes, I do. Not as powerful as other vampires maybe, but enough.”

“Enough to know I was KID the first day you met me,” he continued calmly, a slight sigh of exasperation leaving his lips, “You were never fooled from the start, were you?”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he shrugged, smiling slightly, “what gave it away? Could you somehow hear my heartbeat or something?”

Saguru fidgeted. It was strange to be confronted with this when he still hadn’t worked things out for himself. 

“Saguru, what was that?” He leaned in closer when he couldn’t hear the answer he muttered. His face burned as he raised his voice, feeling embarrassed. 

“Your smell...” 

Kaito pulled back, sniffing at his arm in confusion, “Do I smell? I thought that I kept clear of any identifying scents.” 

“Not anything anyone else can smell,” he clarified, “And not even how anyone else smells. Yours is...special.”

At the thought, Saguru leaned forward to set the mug on the table. Kaito watched his movements curiously. When the detective got to his feet to stand in front of where he was sitting, he spoke up.

“Saguru?”

“I can show you...” he offered, reaching up with his hands to clasp the cross hanging over his shirt, “What makes your scent special.”

A flicker of something passed through his eyes, drifting down to the necklace, “You’re...not religious, are you?”

“I can’t be,” Saguru chuckled, beginning to unclasp the holy silver, “churches burn me.”

“Tonight-”

“Tonight I pushed past that,” he said softly, letting the cross drop to the floor, “because I knew you were in danger.”

“If it hurt you, you shouldn’t have done it,” he said quickly, catching Saguru’s hands gently, guilt flashing over him. He turned his hands in his grasp, locking their fingers tight. 

“Can I show you?” He asked again, keeping eye contact all the while. Kaito looked over him slowly, the eyes of a thief looking for a way in. Finally he asked him.

“Will it hurt you in any way?” The way his grip tightened clearly said that it was a no if that was the case. It wasn’t, but the fact that he cared so much made Saguru want to do anything for him.

“No,” he whispered, moving, climbing into Kaito’s lap and making him lean back in the chair, “but I might not be able to control myself. Most likely it will lead to a repeat performance of earlier.”

He seemed to be weighing his options. Seeing what his scent did to Saguru, or not. Kaito had always been curious. The expression, ‘curiosity killed the cat’, was practically made for people like him. 

“Okay,” he agreed. 

That was all he needed. Saguru opened his mouth, and scented.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez...two smut scenes in the first few chapters. I wasn't actually intending it to go so far and set up such a thing, but Saguru's just kind of letting go now. Kaito knows and is interested, so why not?


	4. Indulge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Your scent is amazing,” Saguru practically moaned, head lulling as he indulged, “it was made for me.”

******  
The scent was easier to digest after what they’d done not even an hour earlier. Without the necklace, it was even stronger though. Saguru’s hands tightened around Kaito’s, gasping softly as he took it in.

The flash fire scent was definitely connected to his KID persona. It was much stronger now, like the burning ember of a dying fire. The bird feathers weren’t as prominent, probably because he didn’t have his doves on him. A flowery scent still clung to him but was far fainter than the others. The strongest scent was chocolate though, just as it always was.

It was like he was drunk, chuckling as he let his vampirism surface. Indigo eyes widened when the change came, taking in every shift attentively. 

“You had some chocolate before the heist, didn’t you?” He asked around his fangs, the sweet smell completely covering him. A renewed heat flamed through his body and made him shudder. 

“Are you okay?” Kaito asked, smiling with a tinge of worry as he took in the out of sorts way he was acting. Unlike the other times, his vampirism seemed to be aware that there was no rush. That his human was going to stay put for him. It was nice because his instincts weren’t surging forward to fight with him. They were perfectly content moving at his flow now that they were like minded.

“Your scent is amazing,” Saguru practically moaned, head lulling as he indulged, “it was made for me.”

“It’s really that good?” The question had him nodding frantically, remembering how that white witch had phrased it.

“Think, the equivalent of human soulmates,” he gasped, bouncing slightly in his lap, “but for vampires. No other being will ever be what you are to me!”

He swallowed down saliva thickly as his arousal began to grow. He was already growing hard in his soft pants, eyes fluttering as he moved against Kaito’s stomach a bit harder. 

“Soulmates?” Kaito sounded more strained now, his own grip growing tighter, “Like, destined to be together?” 

How had she explained it again?

“We’re,” he groaned, falling forward until they were flush against each other, his words were hot against the boy’s ear, “Compatible in every way...our personalities, our bodies, our needs!”

His voice raised to an embarrassing level when Kaito was suddenly bucking up into him. It made him shout, voice hitching and tapering off to a whine. He could feel the magician’s own arousal, driving him forward.

“So you always knew we were going to be together?” His question was breathy, lips against Saguru’s own ear. 

“No-” he gasped, moving a little harder, “I didn’t want to be with you...unless it was real-!”

Kaito’s hands moved from holding Saguru’s to gripping his waist, stopping his movements. It made him whimper, pulling back so he could see the magician’s face. 

“This is real then?” It was a whisper, indigo eyes searching for something indiscernible. He had already said so. He meant it. 

“Yes,” he hissed, unable to move and feeling frustrated, “I do love you Kaito. Completely forgetting about your blood, I told you that!”

Despite the sharp irritation in his voice, his answer seemed to satisfy him. He smiled but didn’t let go of Saguru’s waist. Kaito leaned up, his intention obvious. He met the teen midway, their lips finding each other for the third time that night. Somehow this was a mix of the two kisses they had shared. Neither one was in control, each mixing both sweet and lustful feelings into the movement. 

He wouldn’t let Saguru move. It was that part of what they were doing that he took control of. Kaito ground his hips up against him and he nearly choked. That want was back. The want to have him over him, in him.

It scared him.

Saguru had experience, yes, but not with that. He had never been in that position before. His body was asking for it, but he didn’t-

A whimper made it past his throat, his instincts becoming irritated as he fought them. Kaito seemed to sense his sudden discomfort because he was pulling back. 

“Saguru?” He asked, sounding terrified. His scent took on an aspect of guilt and overwhelming worry that pushed away the desire. It did nothing to help his instincts settle. 

“Not that,” he whispered, shifting as he tried to pull away from the hardness under him, “I don’t know how that-”

“Hey,” Kaito was suddenly releasing his hips, carefully removing him from his lap and placing him on the chair at his side, “Did I overstep? Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Saguru sighed, pushing back at the embarrassment and shame starting to fill him, “I just...don’t want to go all the way, or something...”

Understanding took over Kaito’s features, his hands reaching up to cup his face gently, “Well, I wasn’t really planning...not that you’re not amazing, Saguru, but this is only our first night. We can take this slow if you want.”

He nodded, feeling terribly horrified by how he was reacting, and now his vampirism and him were falling out of sync, “Do you get it now? What your scent does to me?”

“No one else?” He asked quietly, leaning in close, releasing his face to move his hands, “Just me?”

“Just yo-” Saguru’s words hitched as those hands found a new target inside his pants. The soft clothing was so easy to get inside that it took no effort for the thief to weasel his way past his underwear’s band. It made him buck, arching awkwardly against the chair’s arm into Kaito’s body. 

“Kaito!” The voice echoed in the space around them, heat being fanned as he had actual skin wrapped around his length. It was no surprise he was good with hands, working him in a way no one ever had before. 

He whined for the pleasure, fumbling his way into Kaito’s pants in turn. 

“Saguru, you don’t have to-”

“I want you to feel good too,” he gasped, finding what he was looking for. Kaito lost his voice when he grasped him, hand moving in tandem with his own pleasure. They curled into each other on the small chair, hands drawing the other further and further. 

“Kaito, I’m-” He could hear the thief’s heartbeat, so close. His mouth started to open against his will, fighting him for this. Saguru didn’t want that though, not now, “Kaito, tell me-tell me you love me!”

“I love you,” he said immediately, pressing closer, “I love you so much, Saguru!”

They went over the edge together, making a mess of their fresh clothes all over again. Neither of them minded. It was just them, alone together, finally united. 

Anything else could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, there we go~  
> I'm awful to my sixteen year old babies.


	5. Morning Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Morning?” Kaito asked, raising an eyebrow as he offered the mug in peace.

******  
“I didn’t think you could be like that,” was not a sentence Saguru wanted to wake up to. His sleepy brain just took it and ran, forcing him to remember in detail every second of the night before he could even look at the thief standing beside his bed. Standing because he had been insistent about sleeping on the couch. 

He was very much not disappointed, thank you very much.

“Please, not before tea,” he groaned around his pillow. It was amazing, yes. And after, he had answered a few more questions before they drifted off to change and get to bed, but now he was just feeling horribly conflicted. 

Kaito and he loved each other. They wanted to be together. But one was a thief and one was a detective. One was a human and one was a vampire. They hadn’t even specified what they were to each other now. How was this going to work?

“I have your tea, Mr. London boy,” the bed shifted as a weight settled on it, a hand started carding through his tangled curls gently, “and stop overthinking. I can practically hear you from here. Which is a saying a lot because I’m not the mind reader.”

“Not psychic,” he muttered, lifting his face from the soft pillow to finally take in his partner. Kaito looked like Kaito. Even his black hair was back to being its normal messy brown. It was comforting, drawing a sleepy smile from him. 

“Morning?” Kaito asked, raising an eyebrow as he offered the mug in peace.

“Good,” he responded, pushing himself up to lean back against the bed’s headboard. The tea was warm going down. A great way to wake up. 

“Hmmm,” the brunette seemed quite happy, smiling grandly as he took in his morning appearance, “You look good in the morning, Saguru.”

He flushed, swallowing his next sip of tea awkwardly at the compliment. It wasn’t one he’d heard before. None of his previous bed partners were the sort to stay the night.

It was...nice.

But that brought about his question about their relationship. He let the steam warm him, blinking the sleepiness from his eyes slowly. Would asking be considered strange? Should he just know?

He’d never done this before.

“I can see the need to ask me something on your face,” Kaito chuckled, waving his hand in permission. 

Saguru lowered the mug, letting the heat flow through his fingertips as he worked up the question. It was really unfair how easy the magician could read him. Was he really that bad at keeping his emotions under wraps, or did Kaito just know him too well?

“Kaito,” he started, shifting nervously, “are we...what are we considered? I mean, what do you want to be?”

The moment the oddly phrased question left his lips he regretted it. Kaito looked startled, freezing up and staring at him. He had messed up, hadn’t he? That wasn’t something people asked after what they did, was it? Before he could take it back though, Kaito was ducking his head, face flushing. 

“Ah,” he chuckled, sounding embarrassed, “I suppose that’s something I should’ve clarified, sorry.”

He wasn’t going to take it back, right?

“Saguru, will you be my boyfriend?” Along with his words, he moved his hands oddly and a second later a bouquet of white roses were in his grasp. Just like the ones Saguru had used in his magic trick back when they video chatted. It was a surprise, especially considering he wasn’t wearing clothes he could hide flowers in. 

It was a nice surprise.

It made him laugh, smiling wide as he was suddenly on the receiving end.

“Yes,” he said, making them both grin. He had no doubt that if he didn’t have a mug of tea in his hands, Kaito would’ve tackled him right then and there. Both of them drifted. Kaito just sat there as he drank from the mug, watching, his presence comforting. 

It was so nice. 

“Think you’re up for school?” That was a less welcome question. Saguru didn’t really have a choice though, considering how much he’d gotten away with missing it so far. 

“Is that really something you ask me after asking me out?” He asked for the sake of arguing, taking another sip of his tea. 

“Well,” he hummed, nodding pointedly to the alarm clock on his nightstand, “we’re going to be late if we don’t hurry.”

That made him sigh, pouting slightly at the thought of attending class. It was so boring was the problem. Saguru already knew everything they taught the students. He’d only been going for his father’s sake. 

“Oh,” he looked up at Kaito’s sudden remembering humm, watching as the thief got off the bed, “and Koizumi-chan has been calling you.” 

He paled. 

The witch was going to kill him.


	6. Friends on the Rooftop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You defiled him?!” She snarled, barely keeping her voice low enough that none of their onlookers could hear.

******  
She didn’t kill him but judging by the stares he was getting from some of the other male students, they wanted to. Why? Because the second he and Kaito had walked through the school gate after being dropped off by Baaya, she tackled him. 

It had been a surprise and he had barely kept them both on their feet, drawing on his extra strength to do so. Holding her tight as she hugged him, listening to her mumble curses against his chest, it did nothing for the rumors about them. Because it was impossible for a male and female good looking pair to be anything but romantically involved apparently.

“I’m going to kill you,” she hissed under her breath as she finally pulled away. Only, it wasn’t directed at Saguru. Her scarlet eyes were fixed on Kaito, swirling with power that he could scent without even trying. 

The reason for that being he had forgone his necklace. It was oddly freeing to not have to wear it in Kaito’s presence. He hadn’t stopped smiling all morning after he realized he wouldn’t need it anymore hopefully. 

Of course, Akako didn’t miss that fact at all. She could probably tell because she couldn’t sense the magic of it. Her look became even more murderous at that, nails tightening around Saguru’s uniform in anger.

“You defiled him?!” She snarled, barely keeping her voice low enough that none of their onlookers could hear. 

That had Saguru flushing, ducking his head onto her shoulder to hide the way his face colored. “You were the one that suggested it,” he muttered back, his arms wrapping tighter around her waist. Why did they have to have this conversation here? In front of the school, in front of so many students?

“I did no such thing,” Kaito sounded offended, his hand suddenly reaching forward to grab onto Saguru’s jacket, “let go of him.”

“No,” she snapped, trying to pull him away from the magician, “it’s your fault any of this happened. What would you have done if he was killed last night?!”

The hand was immediately releasing him, Kaito’s scent swirling with so much guilt that it made Saguru jolt. He reached back without thinking, catching the retreating appendage and hissing. Anger sparked in him at Akako’s words. His vampirism fought, both wanting to defend his human and not anger the witch. 

“Saguru, fangs,” she said softly, her fingers suddenly carding through his curls. He blinked against her shoulder, scowling as he fought for control. Apparently it hadn’t been a good idea to come without the holy silver. She seemed to understand though, apologies falling quietly from her lips as she held him. Kaito squeezed his hand, stepping closer until their sides were brushing. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, breathing deep to calm himself. The curious muttering around them got louder and he began to feel frustrated by the audience. 

“Roof,” Kaito said quietly, the air from his breath moving Saguru’s curls. Akako nodded, taking the lead as they sandwiched him between them. He didn’t have to worry about being seen with them at his sides.  
******  
“Better?” Akako asked, watching quietly as Saguru made peace with his vampirism. They were sitting behind the roof entrance, hidden from sight. It was quiet up here in the morning. Even with the students milling around, waiting for school to start, no one was there except them. 

“Yes,” he sighed. That hadn’t been fun. It seemed the thief and magician could work together when they needed to though.

Kaito’s phone buzzed for the millionth time since they had arrived. He groaned from where he sat at Saguru’s side, pulling out the device to glare at it. They all knew who was texting him. At one point, they could even hear Nakamori yelling for him somewhere in the courtyard. 

“Not going to answer?” He asked, letting his head fall back against the wall. 

“You’re more important,” he said immediately, snapping it shut, “and she doesn’t know. About any of it.” 

He looked to Akako when he said that, indigo eyes appraising. Even after months he couldn’t trust the witch. It was mildly frustrating, but Saguru couldn’t go telling him who to get along with and who not to.

“You do,” she accused, looking between the two of them sharply, “What happened last night?” 

“Didn’t Lucifer tell you?” Kaito scoffed, glaring and tightening his grip around his hand.

“All he told me was that you were in danger,” she glared, motioning to Saguru like he wasn’t there, “which I told him. Clearly that was a mistake!”

Ouch. Things hadn’t been that bad...Okay maybe a little bad. He had gotten a call from Nakamori-san that morning, informing him of the damages. Though KID wasn’t being blamed for what happened and was actually being praised for saving officers, many members of the task force had been injured. Spider had done a number on them by simply shattering a window. If he had wanted to hurt humans, Saguru didn’t want to know what he was capable of.

He listened to his best friend and boyfriend bicker a little longer. Such strange titles. The first for both. He didn’t step in because he knew why they were arguing. Both of their scents swirled with guilt, revealing their concern and worry for him. 

What had done to deserve them?

Saguru didn’t notice when they fell silent. He didn’t notice until he saw both of their eyes fixed on him, looking startled. 

“What is it?” He asked, tilting his head curiously. Both of them jumped in their seats, immediately pasting on innocent smiles.

“Nothing,” they said in unison, finally getting along. 

They were up to something.

“Anyway, Akako, Kaito” he smiled at the dark haired girl, nodding to the brunette, “we’re dating now. Can you at least try to get along? For me?”

Both of them stared at each other. Indigo meeting scarlet, narrowing as they had a silent conversation. He let them. It wasn’t his place to intrude. Normally he wouldn’t even ask people to put up with one another, but they were both going to be around him often at this rate. 

“No promises,” Kaito muttered, squeezing his hand and falling dramatically over his shoulder. 

“For you, my dear, I will try,” she sighed, gifting Saguru a tight lipped smile. 

“Thank you,” he smiled, perking up when he heard ringing echo across the campus, “Come on, let’s get to class.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Protective squad a go! Akako and Kaito, the main members!  
> ...I don't really like Aoko so look forward to her being written as a bad friend.  
> Soon, the detective koushien! Next chapter or two and then that'll happen.


	7. Jealously and Possession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nakamori smelled like anger and jealousy that she hardly kept from showing. Instead, it showed as anger as she cornered Kaito. 
> 
> It only confirmed his suspicions.

******  
Class was...an experience. It had been months since he was around so many people without his cross. For one, his senses were no longer dull. For two, the holy silver wasn’t there to block unconscious sensing. He kept picking up scents he didn’t mean to, conversations he wasn’t trying to listen to.

Paris had been so different because they had avoided most crowded places and he had had over a week to adjust. Jumping back into the fire without any gear was a mistake. He could admit that. 

Kaito didn’t even try to pretend he was paying attention to the lessons. He kept his eyes on Saguru the whole time, watchful and worrying. Anytime someone tried to approach him they would find themselves the recipient of a prank that would send them running. The whole thing at the school gate was hardly a secret, and so Saguru found himself a victim of the rumor mill.

They ranged from him having an affair with Kaito, Akako having an affair, the three of them being in some kind of polyamorous relationship, and so on. It was frankly ridiculous. 

The issue came when lunch hour arrived.

Before he could get out of the classroom and get somewhere that his headache would stop growing, a nuisance arrived. Nakamori smelled like anger and jealousy that she hardly kept from showing. Instead, it showed as anger as she cornered Kaito. 

It only confirmed his suspicions.

“Bakaito!” She shouted, planting her palms on said brunette’s desk roughly. Her whole scent was negative and it sent Saguru’s head spinning. There was so much frustration it started to overpower the other unconscious scents. The girl hadn’t even tried to stop her glares toward him during class.

She had a thing for Kaito, and she hadn’t missed the fact that he was paying more attention to Saguru for the moment. 

He couldn’t exactly say what she felt was love. What he smelled from her was dark and twisted. It was a scent he would probably expect more from Akako if he didn’t know her. Why? Because it smelled like possessiveness and greediness. 

It matched up with what he had observed over the months he knew her. She got angry when things didn’t go her way, she didn’t like people getting close to Kaito, she always reacted violently. 

There were too many times he had to count that he had stopped a mop from cracking his thief’s skull. Not to mention how verbally abusive she was. 

As he watched her shout at Kaito, saw him shrinking back away from the threat, he started to lose his control. 

She was scaring his love. She was threatening him, how dare she?

Before he could step in, a hand wrapped firmly around his biceps, keeping him in place by the classroom door. Scarlet eyes and dark hair stepped into his view. 

“Saguru,” Akako said softly, tightening her grasp, “Don’t. I know it’s overwhelming for you right now, with all the senses, but you must remember your control.”

He shut his mouth, clamping down on those senses he’d been allowing free reign. Immediately he felt the weight, his vampirism angry to be locked away after finally being allowed to roam. It only made his headache grow. 

Saguru reached up to rub at his temples, sighing agitatedly. 

“Akako,” he hissed, trying to keep the fury from his voice, “Stop her before she destroys what control I do have.”

She was releasing him in an instant, turning in a smooth motion that made her dark hair wave and strutting across the room. He sighed again as he watched, rubbing again at his forehead in some futile attempt to lessen the ache. 

Akako stopped at the desk they were fighting at. Or to be more accurate, Nakamori was attacking Kaito at. Thankfully most all the other students were already gone or they might have noticed the strange scene. 

The witch was quick in her magic, smiling disarmingly at Nakamori and distracting her with only a few words. It seemed to startle the messy haired girl. She frowned, glancing between the witch and magician, and then back at Saguru still at the door. He couldn’t pull back his glare when she turned to look. Another flash of anger came over her that didn’t even try to hide. 

He noticed the other two at the desk tense up when they saw the way she looked at him. It was strange to think he had two people so willing to defend him. It was something he never had before. 

Nakamori didn’t bother trying to make up excuses or keep up the facade. Right before he lost his control and started baring his teeth at her, she turned on her heel and stampeded through the other classroom door. It almost looked like a child rampaging about not getting their way. 

For a second all was silent in the classroom, the few students that had seen looking between all present. Saguru saw Akako begin to head towards them, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face, and knew that they wouldn’t be saying a word. 

He didn’t wait any longer, turning on his heel and leaving the room. Not wanting to risk it, he opened his senses for just a moment, pinpointing the furious fuming coming from down the hall. He went in the opposite direction. 

“Saguru,” he heard his name whispered-called from behind him but he didn’t stop. His head was pounding and he wanted out. 

The body followed him all the way up to the roof, not speaking again. Throwing open the door was a relief. All fresh air that swept away the scents and voices that had plagued him. He took a second to just breath, releasing the hold on his senses once more. 

If he spent too long away from Kaito’s scent he might lose his resistance. That wasn’t something he wanted.

“Hey, sorry about Aoko,” Kaito said quietly as they moved to sit back where they had been that morning. Hidden from sight behind the shadowed walls of the roof entrance. 

“You shouldn’t be apologizing for her,” he growled, letting his frustration be known, “She had no right to attack you just because you weren’t paying attention to her.”

Kaito frowned, his indigo eyes clouding. Saguru felt bad. Clearly he hadn’t realized how bad things were, and normally it wasn’t his place to point such things out. But now...they were together and he finally knew just how awful Nakamori was for him. 

“Kaito...,” he sighed, letting his head drop, irritation building. A growl made it past his lips, fangs starting to grow in response to his distress. He was just so-so-

“I’m too thirsty for this,” he snarled, tossing his head back to meet the concrete wall roughly. It seemed to shock Kaito, making him jump and immediately reach for Saguru. His calloused fingers ran over his cheek and made him shudder. The feeling of skin on skin was so foreign to him that he chased it. His head turned, trying to press further into the warm hand.

“You’re thirsty?” He asked softly, running his thumb over Saguru’s cheek gently. The feeling lulled his frustrations and made him relax. Kaito moved closer, until they were nose to nose. 

He breathed in, rolling in the scent happily. His whole focus was the brunette. His brunette. 

And how amazing it was that he could call him that.

All too soon he was pulled from it by a simple sentence, “Why don’t you drink my blood?”

His eyes snapped open wide and in an instant he yanked himself from the hold. The offer was recognized by his vampirism though, instincts already churning at the idea. He fell back away from Kaito, trying to control the fangs pushing at his lips. 

“Saguru?” He asked, the scent of chocolate growing strong and making him heady. He also smelled like worry though. Worry and fear and love. 

He focused on that, shaking his head as though it would get rid of the bloodlust. It helped somewhat, especially the love part. Giving back just enough control to raise a hand warningly. Kaito stayed put, frozen under the sudden shift in what happened. 

“Don’t...ask me that,” he swallowed, trying not to imagine the saliva going down was actually the liquid he wanted, “Please...”

The magician didn’t question him, didn’t speak again as he regained his steel. He just stayed put, worriedly watching Saguru and ready to help. It was amazing and awful and everything all at once. 

When he finally had pushed back enough, gained control back enough, he crawled back over to the wall. This time he made sure they weren’t so close, watching the brunette lean back as well. Now that the danger had passed he looked curious. It was such an insane emotion to have after witnessing someone try to hold back from savaging your neck, Saguru wanted to laugh. 

“I thought you wanted my blood,” he asked finally, ignoring the distance he was trying to keep so he could reach out and intertwine their hands, “I thought it was better than anyone’s ever could be.” 

“It’s not you, Kaito,” he sighed, drawing his legs closer in defense, “It’s...the whole bloody situation. I don’t want to feed from you for so many reasons...but every one of my instincts screams to just ignore those reasons and go for it.”

“What reasons?” Somehow he sounded affronted. Affronted that Saguru wasn’t tearing into his neck the moment the opportunity presented himself. Another point for the insane column. 

But he still loved him.

“How did she...” he thought back to what the witch said months before, quoting her like he had that night, “When I said we were like soulmates, it’s really a much darker version.” Kaito ran his finger in circles over his hand, soothing him as he spoke, “It’s dangerous. The scent means you’re amazing for me. Really, really amazing. But under the wrong circumstance, it also means you’re the one in the most danger. Temptation can drive a vampire to terrible ends, Kaito. I don’t want that-I-I don’t want to hurt you.”

The confession became a whisper in the end, just the idea making his voice falter. His love didn’t hesitate though. In an instant a hand was cupping his jaw, turning his face to meet the other’s. 

Kaito was grinning, large and sharp. It was such a strange expression to wear after hearing such a thing that it made Saguru’s brain stop for a second. During that second, he seized control. Moving in, again, he pulled Saguru’s head down gently to place a kiss over each eyelid. 

His eyes fluttered under the contact, falling shut on reflex and opening once he moved away. The action made him chuckle before he had even comprehended it, smiling slightly.

“Why do you keep doing that?” It was the third time. Honestly, it was extremely calming too. 

“My mother used to do it for me,” he explained sweetly, squeezing his hand, “it always made me feel so much better when I was upset. When you’re upset, I just want to do the same.”

“So you’re my mother?” He asked rhetorically, relishing in the offended gasp he received. 

“I am your boyfriend, not your mother,” he huffed in false offense, crossing his arms and pulling away. Saguru chased him though. His hands recaught the magician’s, pulling him back in and placing a quick kiss on his cheek. 

It was amazing how red Kaito went, clearly not expecting it. His hand raised unconsciously to touch the spot his lips had been, grinning wide and happy. His scent flooded with love and made the detective laugh. 

“I love you,” he said without reservation, relaxing. It would be fine. He could settle things later. For now, he had an adorable blushing phantom thief to admire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aoko is bad! I just don't like her, and so she will be revealed as a terrible person.  
> This is really just some lovey dovey, settling into a relationship bit. One more chapter where I intend to have Saguru working a case, considering he is a detective and all that, then the detective koushien. And for anyone that asked, I like the idea of Hattori and Saguru being friends so they will not be opposing forces. None of the DC characters will be supernatural either, but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't know about the supernatural...


	8. Payroll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sounds of the police station were muted around them while they were lost in their own world.

******  
Kaito was a very possessive person. In the first week since their relationship started, that was what Saguru had determined. During school he was always either interacting with or close to him. Something Nakamori didn’t hide her fury towards. When they weren’t together, there were texts, calls, gifts. 

Gifts delivered by doves. Sometimes he would walk by a table and suddenly something would just appear for him. It was sweet. 

If anyone got to close without permission, or he started to feel too crowded, everyone in the immediate vicinity fell victim to whatever tricks he had up his sleeve. Sure, he’d gotten more used to going without the cross, but it was still straining. 

Saguru also learned that Kaito was not afraid of danger. Both times that he went hunting since they started dating, he had found the magician lingering nearby. It really wasn’t good for him considering the detective let loose his hunting instincts at the time. His love only seemed to understand when he lamented the idea of hurting him. 

Still, the stalking was really adorable. Perhaps Saguru wasn’t as sane as he believed himself to be. It just meant they fit together even more perfectly. 

There were still a few things though...  
******  
“Kaito,” he sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair, “You really don’t need to wait up. I hardly know how long this will take.”

“Then I’ll wait until you leave,” he said matter of factly, completely relaxed where he was lounging on the desk next to him, “I want to walk you home.”

The sounds of the police station were muted around them while they were lost in their own world. Yes, Saguru had his own desk. It was mixed in with the other task force members, as if he was actually on the payroll. Considering he spent basically every evening coming here after school, he might as well be. 

“You really want to hover while I’m working this case?” He asked again, waving the folder in front of his nose, “It’s a double homicide, Kaito.” 

That made the magician pale, face pulling into a slightly nauseous expression just hearing it. Saguru felt bad. He knew how bad the other was with violent crime. The first time he had stumbled onto the case files in his home study while looking for a bathroom proved that much, something he still felt guilty about. 

“Obviously I’m not going to look,” he huffed, looking away, “but there’s no law against me sitting here to wait for you.” 

“Actually,” he leaned around the lounging brunette, raising an eyebrow pointedly, “Nakamura-san kind of needs his desk to work.” 

Kaito frowned, also leaning around to look at the officer shuffling uncertainly only a few feet away. When he saw them looking in his direction, he quickly began to approach, glancing between them wearily. 

“Sorry, Kuroba-kun,” he said quickly, grabbing around the teen to get a few things, “I just need my files and I can move to the break room.”

“My bad, Nakamura-san,” Kaito hummed, twisting his hands and conjuring a blue flower which he offered the flustered man, “It’s just that I haven’t been able to see Saguru much this week.” 

“I can’t just forget about my cases, Kaito,” he muttered, setting the folder back on his desk and waving the officer away, “I’ve already neglected them enough since coming to Japan.”

“Neglect them a bit more for my sake,” he shot back under his breath, eyes following Nakamura-san as he practically ran out of the main office, “What’s up with Nakamura-san? He never used to be so skittish.” 

“Hmmm?” Saguru began to pull papers from the case, sorting them out over the table, “Well it’s probably because he can smell me on you.” 

“What?!” His voice raised enough that people started looking, watching the kids of the force worriedly. It made him flush, climbing down from the desk to stand over Saguru’s shoulder. 

He leaned down close to his ear, voice a whispered hiss as he asked, “What do you mean smell you on me? Did you mark me or something?”

“Nothing like that,” like Kaito said they hadn’t had much time outside of school to see each other since they got together. Besides that first night, nothing beyond innocent kisses had occurred between them, “Nakamura-san is a bake-danuki. He can just smell that we’re physically closer now.”

“He’s a tanuki?” His love gasped, glancing back to where the round man had disappeared, “What does that mean? What’s it like?”

“I’m sure you can find out plenty on the internet,” Saguru offered, flipping a page and writing down something that caught his eye, “They aren’t completely off about those legends. As for why he was so skittish all of a sudden, vampires, even bitten ones, are higher in the supernatural hierarchy than tanukis. I have nothing against the man, but he was born supernatural and so he follows tradition a bit more seriously than I do.”

“There’s really a lot to know about this sort of thing,” Kaito sighed, pulling the nearby chair over to sit, “I never expected he’d be like you. He always seemed normal.”

“Supernatural is normal for supernaturals,” he hummed as a particular line in the witness statements clicked in his mind, “And there’s one other on the task force.”

He reached for the phone, starting to dial and ignoring the questioning directed at him. “Hello, Sato-san?” He asked when the woman officer answered, leaning back in his chair, “About that double homicide you and Takagi-san were looking into...”

When he finally finished his deductions he replaced the phone in its receiver. Kaito was still scanning the faces around them suspiciously, trying to pick out the supernatural. It was amusing because he would never be able to tell just by looking. Saguru, on the other hand, could smell him. 

“Kobayashi-san,” he called, waving to one of the younger officers invitingly. He was an attractive bloke, young and headstrong. He also had one heck of a sense of humor. 

“Kaito, you know Kobayashi-san?” He asked when the man stopped in front of them, smiling disarmingly. 

“Ah, yeah, we’ve spoken a few time,” he said uncertainly, glancing between the two, “What is he?” 

That had the officer raising his brows, looking to Saguru curiously, “He knows?”

“He’s mine,” he said automatically, his vampirism demanding possession when deep green eyes met his. The declaration had Kaito jumping, staring at him in surprise. Kabayashi just nodded though, understanding flooding his scent. 

“Well then,” he turned to Kaito, ducking his head in a half nod, “I’m a kitsune. If you’re his then I’ll leave you be. Shame, I can sense the mischief in you. We’re kindred souls.”

A quiet growl of warning worked its way up Saguru’s throat at that. It had the man smiling wider, clearly proud of his work. Kaito reached out to take his hand, intertwining their fingers and glaring at the fox. The fact that he was so ready to take his side over the older’s was intoxicating. 

He wanted to press him into a wall and show him just how grateful he was.

“Careful,” Kobayashi warned, all teeth as he turned away, “the station isn’t the most private place. Best wait till you’re safe home in bed to make him scream.” 

The grip on his hand grew almost painful, Kaito looking at him in confusion, face flushed after the comment. He sighed, letting his vampirism calm naturally as he began to draw lines up the brunette’s arm.

“Sorry,” he said quietly, turning his chair so they were even closer, “You wanted to meet him. Foxes are tricky creatures, and they’re actually pretty close on the hierarchy to vampires. Sometimes we don’t get along as a result.”

“No, it’s fine,” he responded, watching Saguru’s nails drag lazily over his skin, “Thank you. What did he mean about making me scream though?” 

That made the detective flush as well, leaning forward until his head landed against Kaito’s chest. “Sorry,” he repeated, “You just made me really happy. That you would be on my side is amazing...”

“Well, I’m glad then,” he ran his fingers through Saguru’s curls, “You finished that case in only half an hour. Can we go home now?” 

“We?” He lifted his head, straightening back up to see Kaito’s blushing face.

“Yeah, I haven’t been to your house since that night,” he scowled, crossing his arms indignitinly, “You still need to give me a proper tour and everything.”

Saguru was about to respond, but was cut off when his phone began to ring on his desk. Normally he ignored it at work, but that ringtone belonged to a very special person. 

“Baaya,” he greeted immediately after flipping up the white case, “Is everything okay?” 

“Oh, Saguru,” she sounded frustrated, tone frantic and making him tense, “I just got an invitation for you.” 

“An invitation?” He repeated, frowning. 

“Yes, from Nichiuri TV,” Saguru choked, doubling over slightly at that and making Kaito reach up to support his shoulders.

“No TV deals, Baaya,” he said sharply, making Kaito choke in return, “I don’t do that.”

“But listen, my dear...”


	9. Detective Koushien Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let’s introduce ourselves,” the ‘producer’ declared to the gathered detectives. Five in total, including Saguru and Edogawa.

******  
“Saguru, are you sure?” Kaito’s concern was palpable even over the phone as he waited for the boat to arrive. They’d already had this conversation the day before after Baaya called him at the station. She’d been horribly offended about the fact that he was very nearly not considered as important as the previous high school detective to work the east. He’d decided he would go the moment she sounded like she would burst into tears over the offront. 

It didn’t stop his boyfriend from worrying.

“What if something happens?” Kaito continued, sounding frantic, “Just let me-”

“Kaito,” he sighed, keeping his voice smooth and calm as he watched the water roll from the wind, “You don’t need to come with me, okay? I’ve done this sort of thing before. What could possibly happen while I’m...”

He wasn’t going to finish that sentence. It was tempting fate far too much. Practically every one of his outings wound up going wrong recently. Even a single day was too long to go without something bad happening.

“Finish that sentence, why don’t you?” Kaito snarked, the sound of something heavy being set down, “At least let me send Yui-chan. You don’t have Watson with you so maybe she can help.”

Ah, Yui-chan. The dove that had been his victim at the Sunset Mansion. She had also been the one delivering many of the gifts from Kaito recently. He claimed she had taken a liking to the detective, but considering Watson was always around it was too stressful for her to stay close. 

“Don’t send her,” he said, watching an approaching boat get closer, “You don’t know what’ll happen.”

“See?! You admit something could happen! Hold on, I’m-”

“Kaito, I love you,” he cut off the panicking brunette quickly, glancing down at his pocket watch, “but if you show up here I’ll be very upset. I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”

There was silence for a moment. The huffing of air like Kaito was doing breathing exercises. Then, very, very reluctantly, “Fine. Be careful, please?” 

“Aren’t I always?” He asked with a smirk, slipping his watch back into his pocket. His amusement only grew when he heard the indignant squawking from his love.

“NO! No, need I remind you of that stupid church? Or the alleyway? Or-”

“Goodbye, my dear,” Saguru hummed, slipping into English with his good mood, “I’ll call you as soon as I leave the island. I don’t imagine there’ll be service.”

“No service?! Wait-!”

Saguru felt bad hanging up, really, he did. But the boat’s driver was tapping his foot impatiently, looking at him in irritation. He really needed to go. Plus, Kaito wouldn’t have stopped worrying the whole time. He had barely let him go home alone last night. 

“Okay,” he shouldered his bag, grinning slightly as he caught sight of the man’s jacket, “Looks like this is going to be more interesting than I thought.”  
******  
He heard them approaching long before they entered the room. His greatest concern about this whole gathering was how long he would be away from Kaito’s scent. A day was longer than they’d been separated since their first night. Sure, he was very relieved to not need that cross anymore, but sometimes the senses could get irritating. 

Saguru leaned back in the chair he had been offered, crossing his legs professionally as a group of teenages were led in. He smiled in greeting and his identity was immediately remembered by one of the attendees. An attendee that startled him, and he seemed to startle in turn.

“Hakuba Saguru?!” Edogawa-kun shouted in shock upon seeing him. He had to force himself not to react to the boy’s presence, remembering the warning he had received from Akako months before. 

“Hello again, Edogawa-kun,” he offered softly, feeling slightly off put by the absolute nervousness the boy suddenly was displaying. He watched the child duck around one of the high schoolers, a tan boy with dark hair, hiding behind his leg shyly. 

It wasn’t the impression he had gotten of the younger detective back at the Sunset Mansion, that was for sure.

“Let’s introduce ourselves,” the ‘producer’ declared to the gathered detectives. Five in total, including Saguru and Edogawa. 

Immediately his offer was met with skepticism from one of the boys, “Is that okay?” He grinned, clearly already aware of the same thing Saguru had realized upon seeing the man, “The TV cameras haven’t turned up yet.”

“Tch, I don’t see any of the TV staff either,” the tan boy grumbled, his Japanese thick with an accent not often heard by him. Osakan. Clearly he’d come from farther away, but why was Edogawa so attached to him then?

“Ah..the TV crew and announcer staff are coming tomorrow morning...” The man stumbled over saying, sweating nervously, “You’re here now so we can get to know each other.” 

Honestly, was he even trying? Saguru hadn’t even bothered to scent the man since it was obvious he was lying. The others were interesting though so he didn’t bother to point it out just yet. 

“Anyway, we’ll do the same thing in front of the camera tomorrow,” he explained, gaze drifting uncertainly. The girl standing in front of the group reached up, removing her headset as she spoke.

“Well then, I’ll start! The name’s Koshimizu Natsuki, third year high school student,” Saguru frowned, looking her over slowly, “I was born in Fukuoka, and I’m the southern high school representative. I’m still a novice, so I’ve merely solved one hundred cases. Please take it easy on me!”

She...was also lying. Saguru opened his mouth to scent, the emotions of anger and frustration flooding his senses. This girl was mad about something, and it seemed to pertain to the other detectives. Things could never be what they seem now could they?

“My name is Tokitsu Junya,” the boy next to her spoke up, a smug and cocky expression over his face, “I was born in Tokyo, but I was raised in Hokkaido, so I guess I’ll be representing the North. I’ve handled about three hundred cases, among which, two hundred and fifty people were arrested and formally charged. The other fifty escaped before being arrested or commited suicide.”

The casual way he said that had Saguru’s nerves standing on end. He said it like suicide was a completely uncaring outcome. Like all he cared about was solving the case. He was the type that he never got along with. Similar to those prideful officers of the London Yard. 

He could never agree. If he had the chance to, he would always save people. Even if that person was the criminal he was after. 

“I’m Hattori Heiji,” the Osakan stepped up, also scowling at Tokitsu unhappily, “A well-known name in the Kansai area!” The son of an officer then, just like Saguru. He had heard about him before, “The number of cases I solved are...eh, one, two...they’re over a thousand so I can’t count them really!”

A braggart then. He didn’t smell like he was lying, so Saguru couldn’t really find it irritating. So long as he wasn’t an honestly bad person he wouldn’t earn his ire as Tokitsu already had. 

He wanted to fight down a chuckle when he heard Hattori whispering to Edogawa, “It’s the truth! Even though I included cases of searching for cats when I was a kid.”

Something about him reminded Saguru of Kaito. “I see,” he smiled, nodding his head in respect, “So you’re Hattori Heiji. I’ve heard much about you from my father. He said you’re a quick-witted detective.”

“Huh? What...what does your daddy know about me?!” Oh dear. It seemed he had accidentally been too cocky. Hattori would be one of the ones that hated him from the start, wouldn't he? His scent swirled with indignation, like Saguru had done something to offend him. 

“So that’s why Heiji-niichan’s alike!” Edogawa cut in loudly as Hattori began to get into his space.

“Alike?” He asked, glancing down at the boy in confusion.

“Isn’t that so, Hakuba-nicchan?” Edogawa kept switching attitudes so much he really was suspicious. One second he was a normal child, and the next he was mature enough to be his age. Akako had warned him away though, so he left well enough alone for now.

“Yes,” he turned back to the Osakan, trying to smile a bit more genuinely, “My father’s a police superintendent. Your father’s director of the Osaka police department. I have a surprising amount in common with you.”

“By the way, the number of cases you have solved?” Tokitsu interrupted Hattori before he could respond, making him even more irritated toward the eighteen year old. 

“The number would be roughly five hundred, I believe...” He smirked as he watched the overconfident boy scowl and take a step back. Clearly he had been expecting to be the most experienced here. 

“What, that’s half my number!” Hattori challenged, sparking a note of pride in Saguru.

“Yes, but then...I’m only talking about my resident cases,” He crossed his arms, standing from the chair pointedly. 

“What?” 

“I’ve taken many international cases as well,” Saguru continued, his hands sliding into his pockets as he took on a slightly more confident tone, “The number is much higher should I include those.”

“But who’d have thought someone from the famous overseas Hakuba family would represent the east,” Tokitsu drawled, shaking his head.

“I thought it would be Kudo Shinichi,” Koshimizu agreed. Her words brought a new rush of frustration through Hattori’s scent. The reason for his attitude towards Saguru became clear as he confronted him.

“Yeah, the high school detective of the east must be Kudo! You’re not it!” There was a swirl of protectiveness there, the same scent that came from Kaito and Akako when they were worried for him. So Hattori was just defending his friend’s honor. His friend who had gone missing months before. Before Saguru even arrived in Japan. How strange...

“Indeed, there was only one reason for me coming here,” he placated, turning back to the false producer, “My Baaya. She received a call from the director here who said he would like me to participate in the program instead of Kudo Shinichi who couldn’t be contacted. It hurt her heart to hear. Nearly in tears she called me to request that I accept the invitation in order to prove I was just as worthy.”

He still felt bad when he thought about how worried for his reputation she could be at times. “But it seems that in your eyes I am not to represent the east.”

“Isn’t that obvious?!” Oh wow. He had a short fuse. Saguru could hardly hold it against him when his scent was completely filled with care for his friend. Clearly he didn’t want anyone taking the other boy’s place while he was missing. 

“Then how about this?” He offered, “Just consider me the representative from abroad. And let the representative of the east be Edogawa Conan-kun?”

The boy jumped at his words. His eyes grew wide behind square glasses, taking a step back as his scent swirled with fear. Curious. Was he nervous about deducing in front of other people? 

“But he’s a kid...” The producer said, trailing off uncertainly. 

“Say,” Koshimizu cheered suddenly, smiling wide, “Why don’t you take us to our rooms? I’m tired of standing.”

“And dinner too,” Tokitsu demanded greedily. 

“Ah, then let me show you the way to your rooms,” he agreed, glancing over his back toward the kitchen, “As for dinner, Kouya is making it. When it’s ready, he’ll call for you. One other thing, I want to check your clothes for tomorrow’s shooting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins...sorry it took a while, but I really wanted Kaito to already be dating Saguru by the time he met Hattori.


	10. Supernatural Detective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lavender mansion murder case,” Kushimizu said suddenly as she took a bite of her food, “That’s what the flowers remind me of. It was a case that happened in Shikoku a year ago.”

******  
Saguru wanted to call Kaito. Why? Because upon opening the window in his room, a dove flew in. A very familiar dove with a blue band of fabric wrapped around her ankle. 

“Yui-chan, your master is a menace and he will regret this,” he sighed as he stroked her soft feathers. Secretly he was extremely happy that Kaito cared so much, but he wasn’t about to let him know that. He did have to keep up the illusion of being obstinate toward overprotectiveness after all. 

A knock on the door sent the bird back out the window, the call for dinner arriving. Tokitsu was already with the elderly man. The elderly man that smelled strangely similar to the detective girl. Both of their emotions were a twisting undercurrent of anger. 

Together they went to fetch Hattori and Edogawa who were sharing a room, and then they started on their way to fetch Koshimizu. 

“This lodge sure is old,” Hattori commented as they walked down the hall, taking in the peeling pain and spider webs. 

“It needs maintenance here and there,” Saguru agreed.

“Who’s the owner?” Edogawa-kun asked, his chirpy child voice once more missing. 

“I heard the lodge is lent at a very low price by a rich man who no longer uses it,” the elderly man grumbled, anger growing. 

“By the way, has she already gone to the dining room?” Tokitsu smelled disgustingly like desire as he asked that, making him take a step back from the other boy. He huffed quietly under his breath, turning away to ignore the cocky detective. 

“She?” Hattori repeated with a frown, “Did a woman come to this island?” 

So he could be oblivious at times. It was only fair. Koshimizu had been wearing jeans and had short hair. Still, did he just not pay attention to women? Hattori was beginning to seem like an idiot in some regards. Definitely loyal and hot blooded, but an idiot. 

“She was with us the whole time,” Tokitsu pointed out in a tone filled with judgement. Kouya knocked on the door they came to, opened a second later by the woman. 

“Eh? For real? It’s already time?” Her uniform was still half undone, tie handing over her shoulder messily, “Dang!! I spent too long relaxing.” 

Despite her candice, her emotions were still volatile. Wild and angry in a way that shouldn’t have been so easy to hide. The shocked looks of both Hattori and Edogawa distracted him though. Both of them looked at each other, then back at the skirt Koshimizu was wearing. Apparently their obliviousness was shared. 

“Following strict high school regulations, I had a hard time preparing myself properly. The skirt must be three to five centimeters below the knee! The scarf is bilaterally symmetrical and the socks are black. Also, a perm is off limits and eyebrows shaved to perfection. And then how often has this brown hair needed attention?!”

As she played with her bangs, Saguru frowned. She said the lines naturally enough, but there was this lilt there. Like she was frustrated about what she was saying and was trying too hard. 

“But tonight we still don’t have the TV cameras, so is it necessary to be perfect?” He adjusted his jacket pointedly. The only one beside Edogawa not to change into a school uniform. 

“You’ve got a point!” She sighed, moving ahead of him down the hall. 

“You didn’t change your clothes?” Hattori’s voice came suddenly from behind, hand picking at the end of his jacket pointedly. 

“Yeah, unlike her,” he motioned to the girl that had just listed school uniform rules, “foreign students in high schools can wear ordinary clothes.”

Usually he did wear his uniform, but why bother for this? That was hardly comfortable. Not to say the semi formal outfit he was wearing was comfortable. 

“Where’s the producer?” Koshimizu asked loudly, looking around at everyone else. 

“Ah,” Kouya frowned, “his room is just here. I knocked earlier but he didn’t respond. I thought he’d want to be with me when I retrieved all of you.”

“Tsuchio-san, the dinner is ready,” he called, knocking against the door loudly, “Tsuchio-san?”

“Too bad,” Hattori sighed, reaching forward to take the knob in his hand, “He locked himself up to have a deep sleep inside. Hmm?”

Saguru watched him take his hand away to look, freezing up when he spotted the red smeared over skin. 

“Blood,” Hattori realized, leaning down to check the handle again, “There’s blood on the knob!”

“Do you have a key for this room?” The girl asked urgently, pushing Koya out of the way.

“There’s no key itself,” he admitted, stepping back, “like everyone else’s room, you can only lock it from the inside.”

“If it’s like our rooms, then there should also be two windows...” Tokitsu said, “Why don’t we look from outside?”

Saguru stayed calm, keeping out of the chaos. He couldn’t smell blood. Most likely this was just a ploy for whatever was really going on. 

Then Hattori was ramming the door. He winced at the loud banging of his shoulder against wood, pulling back his sense of hearing slightly. The others all cried out in surprise as he pulled back to repeat the action, door giving under his force. 

It swung open to slam into the wall inside. Revealing the producer tied up in the middle of the floor, lying prone but breathing. Both Hattori and Edogawa raced to check on the man, ensuring his safety while the other two looked around. 

“The window’s locked,” Tokitsu declared as Saguru approached the laying man.

“And it seems the door was locked as well,” Koshimizu reported as she took in the broken mechanism. 

“So perhaps this is a locked-room murder case?” Tokitsu suggested casually, shrugging his shoulders.

“That would be true,” Saguru agreed, kneeling in front of Tsuchio-san, feeling irritated by how they completely ignored the man, “if he was really dead.”

The fake producer groaned as Hattori worked at the ropes tied around him. Both him and Edogawa seemed to be decent people, caring more about the potential victim than immediately starting the case. Saguru could respect that. 

“What happened?” Edogawa-kun demanded as he sat up, completely focused on finding the truth as his child act fell away. 

“Ah, well, someone knocked on the door,” Tsuchio-san said, rubbing at his wrists unhappily, “and no one was there when I looked. When I turned around, someone attacked me from behind and made me inhale something.”

Saguru didn’t panic. The reason was given when Kouya suddenly spoke up from his place by the door.

“Detective Koushien case number one,” he declared, “explain the mystery of this locked room!” 

Just as he’d figured. The blood was fake, there was no smell of knockout concoctions, and the producer didn’t even smell upset. It was all a set up.

“When somebody solves it, put your solution in writing and quickly hand it to me. If your deduction turns out correct, you’ll advance to the second round and learn the way to get off this island.”

That last sentence was mildly concerning. The only way off was by ship, and with no service they could honestly be trapped.

It looked as though he had to thank Kaito for Yui-can after all.

“Ho...” Hattori huffed as he got to his feet, “In other words, the battle has already begun!”

“Then, does that mean there are hidden cameras around here?” Saguru asked rhetorically, more for the appearance of participating than anything. He already knew things weren’t what they seemed. 

“But what a surprise,” Koshimizu spoke up, glancing back at the now standing Tsuchio-san, “I was so sure this oji-san would be the first round. Deducing that he was a fake director, that is.”

“What’re you talking about?” He stuttered taking a step back, “I really am-”

“Stop playing dumb!” Hattori demanded, “When that guy,” he motioned to Tokitsu, “said ‘you went over the top’, what he meant was, ‘you really overdid it, recording all the way until midnight.’ And what this miss meant by ‘give us a laugh, you’re so closed off,’ was ‘it’s too narrow, please move this stuff out of here.’ It’s an industry slang!”

Apparently they had all picked up on it quickly as well. Saguru hadn’t tested his deduction since he was sure, but they’d done well. 

“Unless you’re an AD who just entered, there’s no way that a director wouldn't know what those mean,” Hattori declared, leaning into the man’s space. 

“Besides, the logo on that Nichiuri TV staff jumper,” Edogawa joined in, “has the eyeball’s swirl reversed. The real spiral turns rotatingly. That’s why everyone knew you were fake, and tricked you.” 

He really wanted to pick that kid’s brain. He seemed able to keep up with everything they deduced, unless Hattori was feeding him facts. Something Saguru highly doubted. 

“Well, this means after passing through the first round-”

“Sorry, but count yourselves out,” Tokitsu interrupted Hattori’s verbal victory lap, grinning confidently, “I figured it out, this locked room trick. Shall I put things into action?”

“Already solved it?” Koshimizu repeated, Saguru freezing up at the pure fury in her scent. All of that was pointed precisely at Tokitsu, ignoring the other detectives now. What had changed? 

“In that case, show us your findings,” Hattori challenged. 

“You mustn’t do that!” Kouya ordered immediately, “If you did that, the others would know the trick. So like I said, white down your findings and give it to me. This is valid until the end of round one!”

“Don’t worry, there’s no way I’ll do it in public,” Tokitsu promised, “Anyway, from my side the result is the same whether it’s the final match or not...”

“He’s considerably self-confident,” Saguru observed darkly, his buttons getting pushed by the jerk’s attitude. 

“I don’t give a damn about that trick,” Kushimizu sighed, “I just hope that Tsuchio-san didn’t tie himself up after locking the door.”

“If that was the case,” Tokitsu scoffed, “the representative of the west who undid the rope would have noticed that, wouldn’t he? No matter how incompetent a detective he may be.”

“Incompetent?!” Hattori roared, glaring foully at him. Before he could jump down the cocky bastard’s throat, Saguru cut in.

“It’s true he got impatient,” he agreed, stepping half in front of the Osakan protectively, “after finding the blood and breaking the door down, but he did it to check on Tsuchio-san’s condition. His goal was to get to the victim as quickly as possible. Something you cared nothing for.”

His voice was cooler and sharper than intended. His true feelings slipping through as glared at Tokitsu with icy fury, some of his predatory instincts slipping through and making the teen step back. 

He could smell the shock coming from Hattori behind him, everyone frozen as his glare moved from Tokitsu to Kushimizu. Saguru said nothing to the girl, but his judgement was equally clear.

“A-anyway,” the long haired boy stuttered his way through his words, slowly creeping around Saguru to reach the door, “I’ll go to my room to demonstrate the locked room case. Wait for me while you have dinner because I think I will take about an hour.”

“An hour?” Hattori repeated incredulously, stepping around him to approach Tokitsu.

“I see...” Koshimizu also stumbled over her own tongue, taking a few steps back from the quiet fury of the Londoner, “From the time when Kouya-san took everyone to their rooms and until we found Tsuchio-san tied up in this room, it’s been almost an exact hour.”

“I’ll say this just in case,” Tokitsu called over his shoulder as he left the room, “This case doesn’t require action from foolish and violent detectives. I’m talking about the two riding on your daddies’ coattails!”

Saguru had to hold back a hiss, already well used to people accusing him of using his father’s influence. Hattori seemed similarly irritated, hands closing into fists at his side. Koshimizu followed the other out, Kouya and Tsuchio-san leading the way to the dining room. 

He ignored the Osakan trying to grab his attention, following them out. He didn’t feel like answering the question of why he stepped up for the tan boy. Maybe it was how similar they were. Maybe it was how much Hattori cared. It brought back his father’s warnings about losing empathy, and he felt an odd companionship to him. 

Dinner was going to be an experience.  
******  
“Now that your stomach is full,” Hattori spoke up, glaring at Tsuchio unhappily, “why don’t you start talking, fake director? Why did you fake yourself, and why did you participate in this detective gathering?”

“Can’t tell you,” he answered automatically, lighting the cigarette in his mouth and making the dining room stink of smoke, “If I tell you I won’t get my salary. That’s the rule.”

“At Nichiuri TV?” Hattori clarified, making him laugh nervously. 

That was fine. Saguru was ready to play the game as well. He leaned forward over the dining table, resting his elbow on the dining cloth, “Then would you answer this?”

Tsuchio-san came to attention, looking at him wearily for the first time since his defense of Hattori. Everyone had been acting strange since then. Kushimizu kept looking at him strangely, Edogawa was steering clear, and Hattori kept trying to get him to leave the table and talk. Apparently none of them had expected him to have such opinions to voice. 

“Ever since I got to this lodge,” he continued, catching his chin in his hand, “It’s been bothering me. The smell from this lavender, that is.”

He looked pointedly to the several pots of flowers placed around this room alone. The scent was very strong throughout the house. Usually natural scents were easy to filter out, but there was so much of it he couldn’t help but pick it up.

“Now that you mention it,” Edogawa-kun piped up, glancing up at Hattori, “there was lavender in our room, wasn’t there?”

“Same for me,” Kushimizu agreed.

“Also,” Hattori leaned in on Tsuchio-san, voice turning annoyed, “There was this tool box in there. I guess that has meaning too, no?” 

“Beats me...” 

“Finding that out would be your jobs, detectives,” Kouya-san declared as he brought out another tray of food to place on the table, “Though I know the reason.”

“True enough,” Saguru smiled despite the negative emotions coming off the old man, “but to investigate while being isolated on the outside...”

“Lavender mansion murder case,” Kushimizu said suddenly as she took a bite of her food, “That’s what the flowers remind me of. It was a case that happened in Shikoku a year ago.”

“I’ve heard about that case,” Edogawa-kun said, speaking up so the table could hear, “If I’m not mistaken, the one who was killed was the miss of the mansion, and at the beginning they thought it was suicide but then after a half a year they suddenly said they had figured out that it was actually murder!”

“Hooo-” Hattori mused, tipping his head curiously. An action that was mimicked by Saguru, his interest piqued.

“Then who was the murderer?”

“I heard that he committed suicide,” Kushimizu shrugged, taking another bite, “before they could catch him.”

The table shook slightly as Tsuchio-san leapt to his feet. Saguru blinked at the sudden fear in his scent, wild and terrified in a way he hadn’t smelled from the man yet. 

“What happened?” Hattori asked as he headed for the door.

“N-nothing,” Saguru frowned at him, feeling this sense of wrongness, “I’m out of cigarettes, so I’m going to get some from my room.”  
******  
Rain poured down heavily over the lodge. All of them had long since finished eating, the food cleared away as they waited for Tsuchio-san and Tokitsu. The former returned first, walking into the room shivering and soaked. 

“Why is it that you’re dripping wet?!” Saguru asked sharply, that sense of wrongness growing even worse.

“I hope you weren’t searching for a cigarette vending machine outside,” Hattori scoffed doubtfully, suspicion in his eyes. 

“By the way,” Kushimizu slipped open her phone, checking the illuminated numbers, “don’t you think he’s a bit late?”

“Yeah,” Saguru pulled out his pocket watch, fingers running over the rough silver as he checked as well, “It’s been over two hours now.” 

“I’ll go check and ask how much longer he intends to take,” Kouya offered, leaving the room quietly. He frowned as he watched the man leave. His scent was...hopeful?

Feeling agitated, he got to his feet, pushing his chair back and wincing at the scraping noise it made. 

“Hakuba-niichan?” Edogawa asked him, also jumping from his chair. 

Saguru frowned, looking out the window at the pouring rain. He opened his mouth a little bit more, focusing on scenting. Lavender was strong, their emotions stronger, but past it all, buried deeper in the lodge, was blood.

“Something’s happened,” he said without thinking, fists clenching at the smell. His vampirism shifted lazily, still sated from feeding recently, but still enjoying the scent of blood. 

“Huh?” Hattori stepped up beside him, gaze serious as he looked around, “What do you mean?”

“I’m going to check around outside,” he decided in lieu of explaining, already heading for the door. The agitation grew. If someone was hurt he needed to find them. Even if that person was Tokitsu. Even if he was a jerk, he didn’t deserve to die. 

“Hey!” He heard footsteps following him as he threw open the front door, rain battering his face as he ran outside. Rumbling sounded in the distance, signalling the storm was going to get worse. He ignored it. His shoes slid over mud as he headed around the lodge outer walls. Lights from inside led his way in the darkness, Hattori and Edogawa suddenly keeping pace with him. 

When they reached the back of the building, looking up at the second floor, a shadow in the light caught his eyes.

They skidded to a stop, the outline of Tokitsu in his room a welcome one. 

“Hmm?” Hattori stepped up, raising a hand to block the rain and see clearer, “Huh, he’s still in his room? Why did you panic so much, idiot?”

Saguru didn’t answer, narrowing his eyes to see better. Something wasn’t right here. Just as Hattori’s hand wrapped around his arm, tugging at him to get his attention, a flash of lightning lit up the stormy sky.

It also lit up the shadowed side of Tokitsu’s face.

Red was dripping down his forehead, eyes wide and unseeing. It was only a second of light, dying down and hiding the horrible truth just a moment later. But they’d all seen it.

“That guy-” Hattori took another step forward, letting go of Saguru’s arm.

“Looks like he was murdered!” Edogawa-kun finished the sentence, looking around them frantically. Saguru tensed, preparing to run back inside. Before he could even move through, Hattori was springing forward.

He used the first floor windowsill as leverage, leaping up the wall and gripping on the window they had been looking at. His eyes widened as he watched the Osakan pull himself up onto the tiny ledge, the shattering of glass coming seconds later. 

“How is he?!” He shouted up, the smell of blood growing stronger as the window was pushed open. Hattori leaned into the room, reaching for Tokitsu to check. 

The diagnosis was obvious, but still. He had been hoping for good news. Not what Hattori called down to them.

“He’s dead!”  
******  
Edogawa was giving him looks all the way up to the room. If Saguru didn’t know better, he would think the boy thought he was the murderer. Then again, Edogawa was no normal child. He very well could think that. 

Hattori opened the door when he knocked. The others were all behind him, informed of what they had found. He already knew who was responsible though. 

“How’s the situation?” Was the first thing he asked when the door was opened. 

“As you can see,” Hattori nodded to where Tokitsu was sitting on the room’s desk, head resting back against the still closed window, “his head was beat in by something heard. The weapon is the hammer lying there,” he nodded to a bloody mallet beside the table, “he probably got it from the toolbox over there.”

The same toolbox they all had in their rooms. He was starting to piece things together now. “And? What about the window lock?” He asked, stepping towards it slowly, mindful of shattered glass.

“It was locked. Until I opened it after breaking the glass,” he motioned in demonstration to the indeed broken window pane. 

“My, my,” Kushimizu approached, leaning down to inspect the window, “Even the window frame is firmly fastened in by screws!”

“Same with the door,” Saguru agreed pointlessly, “Seems there isn’t any sign of a trick here.”

“Since there isn’t any kind of secret door...this means it really is a locked room murder,” Hattori voiced what they were all thinking, spinning to take in the room.

“And that means,” Saguru pushed his hands into his pockets, turning to the ones that had followed them to the room, “The culprit is one of you. Kushimizu-san, Kouya-san, or Tsuchio-san.”

“Huh?! Why-” Tsuchio-san’s complaint was cut off by Kushimizu.

“Very true,” she agreed, crossing her arms, “Tokitsu-kun went up to his room saying he would demonstrate the locked room, and after he left us we went to the dining room on the first floor. After everyone started eating, I left to use the bathroom for about ten minutes. Then Tsuchio-san left to get cigarettes from his room. And then Kouya-san went to check on Tokitsu-kun since he was taking so long.”

She turned to the three high school detectives smirking at her deduction, “And since you three stayed in the dining room the whole time, you’re the only ones with alibis.”

“Wa-wait!” Tsuchio-san stumbled forward, waving his hands frantically, “I’m innocent! I just came to this island because I was hired!!”

“By whom?” Hattori demanded, scowling, “And don’t tell us Nichiuri TV! I don’t think any TV channel would make such a program with people really dying!”

“I really thought it was a TV program!” He defended, sounding hysterical, “In the past I got into a small theatrical company. After a Nichiui TV staff member saw my performance, I got a letter saying, ‘Would you like to take the role of director in a TV program?’ I got five hundred thousand in advance. He’d give me another if I gathered the people he specified, without letting on that I was a fake. See? It’s a sweet deal anyone would take!”

“And if we found out?” Saguru urged, not letting the other two out of his sight.

“He said even if you found out, I had to act as if I know nothing, and continue the program. Then I’d receive two hundred and fifty thousand.”

“But mister,” Edogawa stepped up, child tone back full force as he acted innocent, “You said you’d go to your room to get cigarettes. Instead you went outside and came back soaked from the rain. Why’d you do that?”

“I went to use the wireless radio in the shed,” he admitted his fear spiking, “but it was smashed to pieces! I’m sure the emergency radio was fine when I came here three days ago!”

“Really?” Hattori asked, also not letting the other two out of his sight.

“But that’s odd,” Saguru pointed out, “You went outside before the murder occurred. How’d you know an emergency would happen?”

“You too, old man,” Hattori agreed, motioning to Kouya-san, “Were you also called here by this fake director?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “I came here two days ago as an assistant to look after young detectives because my work was just terminated at the house I used to work in as a butler.”

“I don’t care, but I’m just like all of you,” Kushimizu scoffed, shaking her head, “I was called by that fake director to represent the south, and came here-”

Lightning crashed outside, painting the room in pearly white light and cutting off her words with a scream. She gripped at her ears, a motion that was copied by Saguru as his delicate hearing was assaulted. The sound was so much closer than before, practically right outside.

It sent him stumbling, his shoulder smacking into the room’s wall, as he clutched his head. His ears were ringing from his enhanced senses. He’d forgotten to pull them back after searching for the blood and now he was paying for it.

He hissed under his breath, shaking his head as the rumbling grew quieter. A presence was at his side, blocking his leaning body from the other’s sight. He caught sight of tanned skin shielding him. While the others focused on getting Kushimizu to her feet, he focused on regaining his balance.

“Hey,” Hattori muttered quietly, his back to Saguru as he pretended not to notice his state, “You good?”

The boy’s scent was twisting with concern and...seriously?

“You know.” Saguru didn’t bother elaborating. He could sense the unnatural calmness and understanding from the Osakan. There was also this small notion, like he needed to hide the London detective away. 

“Yeah,” Hattori also didn’t beat around the bush, glancing back at him narrowly, “You in control?” 

“I’m fine,” he promised, straightening up, “The lightning was a surprise is all.”

“Why don’t you go with the suspects? Keep an eye on them while we wrap up this case?” He scowled at the suggestion, but there really wasn’t much else to do. Saguru already knew who was responsible. Or rather, which two were responsible. 

“Kushimizu,” he told the tan boy under his breath as he found his footing and stepped up to his side, “but we need proof.”

“Damn, those instincts are useful,” he whistled lowly, nodding his head, “We’ll take care of it.”

It appeared Saguru’s job was to babysit. Oh joy.  
******  
“Am I wrong?” Hattori asked from his place in the dining room door, looking over at all gathered there. Yes. Saguru wanted to speak up. The Osakan was half right, but he was leaving out what he’d told him. Before he could do anything though, he was sent a quick nod. 

Saguru smirked. The scent of mischief, which he usually associated with Kaito, was swirling around Hattori. So this was yet another play. Fine, he’ll let them have their fun. His head was banging too much as it was.

“You murdered Tokistu, then created this locked room, Kouya Renzo-san?” The elderly man said nothing in his defence, standing still under the stares of Hattori and Kushimizu. 

“Well, it’s very simple if you think about it,” he continued confidently, “Tokitsu said he would take about one hour to create a locked room. Meaning it’s a time consuming trick. Naturally I assume you went to meet Tokitsu and killed him when the preparation had been completed. Then you used the trick which was already complete to make a perfect locked room case. That’s why neither Kushimizu-san who went to the toilet so early, nor Tsuchio-san who went to get cigarettes thirty minutes later could do it. Which means, the only one who could have done it is you!”

“But what was the locked room trick?” Kushimizu asked, looking around at them. Edogawa stepped up from his pot in the corner of the room to answer her.

“It was a really simple trick,” he promised innocently, like they weren’t talking about how to kill someone, “First, unfasten the screws that hold the frame of the window. The preparation is okay when the pulled-out screws are cut by pliers! Then, go out, paint the window frame with glue from wood-bond and fix it again! Of course, that’s after reinserting the screws with their heads cut to shorten them. In other words, it looks like the window’s firmly fixed with screws on the outside, but in reality it has short screws inserted in it.”

“Yeah, and the one who in the end went to Tokitsu’s room, Kouya-san, it must be you!” Edogawa blinked at Hattori’s deduction, looking up at the older in surprise. Before he could speak up and ruin the play, Saguru stepped in.

“Sorry to cut both of your speeches short,” he said quickly with a nod to each boys, smirking slightly at the tan boy so he’d get the hint, “but why are you so sure-”

“I have proof,” Hattori cut him off, understanding, reaching into his uniform’s pocket, “What I found in Tokitsu’s room; this cut screw head!”

He pulled out his handkerchief, a metal piece held between his fingers. He held it out to Kouya-san, smiling victoriously as Saguru took over. 

While everyone had their eyes on the confrontation, he dropped into a more predatory mindset, focused on one person. One person who was doing exactly what they wanted them to. 

His hand shot forward, grabbing Kushimizu’s arm roughly. Her hand was slid into her skirt pocket, eyes wide in shock as she was caught. The scent of startled prey was good. Saguru had to drop back into a human mindset before the situation triggered a hunt. 

“As we thought,” he said, “It was you who killed Tokitsu!”

Hattori didn’t bother with the act anymore. He dropped the suspicion towards Kouya-san and approached to explain the truth.

“The reason he said it’s take about one hour to complete the trick is because he had to wait for the bond to dry. If he hastily removed the screws and cut them, even a fast drying glue would take over thirty minutes.” Saguru loosened his grip, aware that he was putting too much strength into his hold when Hattori nudged his side, “It means that Tokitsu finished this operation in less that thirty minutes, then started waiting somewhere outside. In other words, the murderer went to kill Tokitsu while he was still in his room. It must be you because you went to the bathroom just before dinner.”

Saguru noticed Edogawa looking between him and Hattori in confusion, frowning tightly. Apparently their newfound comradeship was not what he’d been expecting. He didn’t seem to know either...

“You probably got him to let you in by lying about figuring out the trick,” Hattori went on to explain, “After you killed him, you jumped out the window. Then reentered the house, returned to the dining room, and pretended to know nothing. But that whole story I just told you is based on an assumption, there is no proof.”

He raised the screw again, pulling it from the handkerchief to reveal the had still attached, “That’s why I obtained this screw from the wireless radio I found at the shed. You thought you had already collected them all, and it made you anxious to think you’d missed one. Since it seemed we suspected Kouya-san, you took a chance to check the spot where you were hiding them.”

Saguru tugged on her arm, pulling it out from her skirt pocket. Her hand was clenched tight. He frowned, squeezing down until she winced. Her fingers unlocked on reflex, the clattering of metal hitting the floor suddenly sounding. 

“I thought you’d have at least one on you,” he said mildly as he watched the screws hit wood, “from when you pretended to be afraid of the lightning, but I didn’t think-”

“Ah, no,” Hattori corrected, shaking his head and reaching forward. He brushed aside her brown bangs, revealing an orb of silver embedded in her ear. “She covered her ears at that time because of the wind from the open window.”

“...But what’s wrong with piercings?” Saguru asked after a moment, face pinching in confusion. The others looked at him for a second before the Osakan face palmed.

“Right,” he groaned, “foreigner. Remember? School regulations?”

Oh, right.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, releasing her arm, “students have pierced ears all over in London.” Completely forgetting the ones on his own earlobes. A lost bet with his mother that hadn’t been that bad.

“But she’s not a student,” Edogawa pointed out, making them all blink in surprise. 

“The boy’s right,” Kushimizu sighed, shrugging her shoulders, “I’m already twenty. I graduated from school two years ago. I brought my old uniform and everything, but I failed after all. It thought talking about school regulations would make it more believable too.”

“But why’d you gather all of us high school detectives?” Saguru asked, taking a step back to rest against the dining room table, head feeling foggy. 

“Because I wanted to track down the high school student who solved the case of the lavender mansion locked door murder,” she admitted softly, ducking her head. 

“Tokitsu stopped by the mansion during a trip to Shikoku,” Kushimizu explained, rubbing her arm, “solved the locked room case, and left without leaving his name. Due to that, my best friend who worked as a maid in the mansion at the time was suspected because she was alone with the miss who was killed. She couldn’t endure all the police questioning, and took her own life.”

Saguru winced at that, remembering how the cocky teen had introduced himself. Suicide was never something he liked during cases. 

“But that could just be unjustified resentment...” He suggested gently. She scoffed at the idea, shaking her head.

“If the deduction had been correct,” she fired back, “I went to that mansion as a detective too. That was one month before he’d been there. My friend said the murderer might be an outsider, so she asked me to investigate. But I found nothing. The room was locked completely, all I could think of was that the miss committed suicide...”

“Then why?” Hattori asked in confusion.

“After one month, that man found them,” her tone turned venomous at the thought, “The screws with their heads cut, scattered outside the room of the miss, and the window that was fastened by wood glue!”

“Is it possible you overlooked it?” Again she scoffed at his suggestion, glaring as Tsuchio-san.

“I didn’t,” she insisted darkly, “After I went back, that Tsuchio guy came dressed as a cleaning contractor and those were the traces of his work. Probably you did it so you could come back later and steal.”

“So that’s why you reacted in such a way to the lavender mansion story and tried to escape the island,” Hattori realized.

Saguru sighed quietly as they continued talking, trying to rub at his temples discreetly. All the scent of blood and lavender, not to mention the lightning earlier, had pushed his senses a bit too much. His head was starting to pound.

He wanted Kaito.

Kaito with his soft words and even softer touch. His amazing smell and considerate actions. Him. Just him. He wanted Kaito. 

“The only clue left was the call my friend made to me before her death,” he struggled to push away the ache, focusing back on the long deduction, “A high school detective with a weird accent is suspecting me, please help!” She laughed bitterly, sadness twisting through her scent and pulling at Saguru’s heart.

“So that’s why you picked us,” he said quietly, voice weaker from strain, “I’ve spent most of my life abroad so my Japanese could be considered weird. Hattori has a Kansai dialect so he sounds different. And Tokitsu uses ‘shousei’ to say the pronoun ‘I’.”

Hattori didn’t seem upset by him pointing out of his dialect, he seemed worried. His voice must’ve been weaker than he thought. Saguru was done. He sat back and just drifted, eyes open but not seeing as they finished up the case. His head was thudding so bad it should’ve been audible. The tremble in his hands was hard to hide, so he shoved them into his pockets. 

He listened as Kouya-san admitted to working as a butler at the mansion. As it was revealed the miss that died had really committed suicide, after being addicted to drugs. And as it was told to them that there was no ship coming. 

“We’ll die together,” Kushimizu said dramatically, softening as she looked down at Edogawa, “Sorry, kid.”

“No, no need to apologize,” he said, smirking as he shared a look with Hattori, “the rescue will be here soon.”

Almost no sooner than he said that, there was the sound of a ship’s horn in the air. Saguru winced at the noise, kneading at his ear unhappily. 

Then they were all being herded out of the house and down towards the island docks. The rain had stopped at some point, leaving a misty humidity in the night air. He shook his head as he walked, irritated by the ringing that had returned. He didn’t notice he was falling behind until his shoe caught on a washed out stone awkwardly. 

His body tipped, falling towards the muddy ground unrestrained. Before he could hit though, a hand wrapped around his arms and yanked him back to his feet.

“Oi, you okay?” Hattori asked, frowning from where he held on in front of him. The others kept moving towards the shore, unaware of his near fall. 

He nodded blearily, wincing as the motion made his headache worse, “Headache. Senses.”

The muttered words were enough for the Osakan apparently. He seemed to know at least enough about the supernatural to tell what Saguru was. And what came with that. His arms settled around his shoulders, holding him upright as they continued walking.

“I was surprised, you know?” His voice was low as he spoke, mindful of the pain but still not helping, “Vampires aren’t exactly common in Japan. Yokai are plentiful, but not others.”

“London,” he hissed, pressing pointedly into his side. The action made Hattori flinch in apology and stop talking. No one turned to look as they stepped onto the pier. Saguru was released to lean against one of the wood pillars, watching as the light of the boat got closer in the dark. 

He heard a low chirping, his hand reaching out from habit, and suddenly a familiar white bird was perching on his finger. 

“Hey, Yui-chan,” he whispered, raising the dove to press a soft kiss over her head, “Bring that back to your master, and tell him I’ll be home soon. And that I love him...and that there’d better be tea waiting.”

She twittered happily, hopping to the edge of his finger before jumping into the air, wings spreading as she flew away over the water. 

He ignored the burning look he was getting from Hattori. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and tossed it to the Osakan. 

“Number,” he ordered, eyes sliding shut, “Talk after...”

“Yeah,” Hattori’s voice sounded almost protective as his consciousness drifted away and arms wrapped around him again, “I’ll get you home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha. Haha.   
> This happened...Damn this was long case. Somehow you forget about the long walls of exposition when it's going along with pictures. Please forgive this humble author for writing more than twenty pages for this.


End file.
